


Infiltration

by sirenofodysseus



Series: Candles [5]
Category: The Mentalist
Genre: Bodyswap, Community: 15genres1prompt, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-12
Updated: 2015-02-12
Packaged: 2018-03-12 02:16:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 909
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3339854
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sirenofodysseus/pseuds/sirenofodysseus
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>There was no way out of this one.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Infiltration

**Author's Note:**

> Believe it or not, this was the piece that inspired "Acrimonious". 
> 
> Still an old piece (written back in 2012), but it was a fun reread and I figured I'd go ahead and post it here. :)

“I don’t know whether you’re exceptionally intelligent or if you’re just plain idiotic, Mr. Jane.” Red John commented, while he motioned for Jane to join him at the dining table. Patrick Jane said nothing, as he was roughly shoved forward and pushed into an archaic chair by one of Red John’s loitering lackeys. “It’s a special three day weekend off for you and your co-workers. If I killed you, you wouldn’t be discovered till Tuesday morning, at the latest.”

“You’re not going to kill me.” Jane responded; his bluish-green eyes focused on the masked face of the man, who had killed his wife and child. The very man, he had sworn to Lisbon that he would kill one day. Red John shifted in his chair. “You…”

“You’ll kill me first with the knife that’s in your pocket?” Red John interrupted, coyly. Jane blinked in hidden surprise; he hadn’t tapped his hands against his pocket, or shown his cards by saying that he had a knife in his pocket (mainly because Red John wasn’t a common criminal. Red John was an intelligent, methodical, and cruel being of meticulous planning and death.) “You’re not the only person who has ever studied nonverbal communication cues, Patrick.”

“I never said I was.” Jane retorted, and Red John said nothing in response, so he continued on. “I just thought you should know that the hospitality around here is lacking, and your little friends have appalling manners.” Jane gingerly rubbed his upper arm, and Red John chuckled. “You obviously don’t pick your brainwashed lackeys for their stellar conversational skills or personal hygiene habits.”

“You shouldn’t take it too personal, Mr. Jane.” Red John soothed. “My brainwashed lackeys, as you so affectionately label them, do not appreciate unannounced visits.” Jane shook his head in irritation; Red John had sent him the invitation via email, and if the serial killer thought for one second that he wouldn’t accept the chance to seek vengeance—the man was damn near insane. “I’m honestly surprised you came alone. I was always under the vague impression that Agent Lisbon knew everything about you.”

Jane shrugged. “Lisbon doesn’t need to know about this.” He tried to not remember that his last conversation with Lisbon had been a fight over him pulling away from the entire unit again—we’re a family, she had said.—what part of that don’t you understand, she had asked.—Red John raised his eyebrow in the dim candlelight.

“Agent Lisbon doesn’t know you’re here, does she?” Red John tittered with a soft smile. Jane nodded. Deniability had always been Lisbon’s best friend. If he killed Red John off the clock, she kept her job and he could flee without much persecution. Nobody would miss him, anyway. “I doubt you even thought to tell anybody, really.”

“You told me to come alone.”

“I did, but let’s be completely honest here.” Red John stated, softly. “Rarely, do you listen to anything anybody tells you to do, which is why I had extra security lingering around.”

“I thought you just had them hanging around, because you were lonely.” Jane threw back. Red John chuckled, and Jane had the oddest feeling that he was missing something awfully important.

“Mr. Jane, can we speak candidly?”

“I don’t know, can we?” Jane asked. Red John chuckled again. “You’ve already called me by my first name, so we’ve passed the point of candid conversation.”

Red John stood slowly from his chair, and turned to face one of the various windows built along the dining room wall. “I can tell that you’re trying to figure out why I’ve invited you here.”

“If the roles were reversed…” Red John chuckled once more. “What?” Red John didn’t turn to face him.

“You aren’t dumb, Patrick.” Red John answered. “You’ve just basically answered why you’re here.” Jane furrowed his brows. Had he said something besides “if the roles were reversed”? “I take it you’re confused, and well…you’ll be even more confused in about three hours.”

“Why?” It would be midnight in three hours, but that didn’t exactly mean anything.

“To put it simply?” Red John questioned. Jane slowly rose from his seat, and went for the knife in his pocket. He didn’t like where this conversation was headed, and though nobody came at him, he took a step forward. “You won’t be you, anymore.” Jane stared at the madman. “Rebecca once said I had infiltrating the CBI all wrong, and I can why now. I can’t screw with you all out here, so my idea was to become you. I just needed your body, and well…” Red John turned with a smirk. “…here you are. It shouldn’t have been this simple, Patrick. It really shouldn’t have, but you need your vengeance and I’ll get it for you.”

“You’re insane!” Jane exclaimed.

Red John snapped his fingers, and two hands seized Jane. He tried to struggle, but it was no use. “Once we swap bodies, I’ll lead the CBI straight to you. Afterwards, I’ll enjoy destroying your precious little family one by one.” Red John cackled. Jane struggled again. “I’ll even seduce that little bitch of a boss for you, as I’m sure she’s good for something if you’ve kept her around this long.” Red John curled his lips into a twisted smirk. “Take him away, and prep him for the procedure.”

Jane fought the hold again, but it was useless.

There was no way out of this one.


End file.
